Stuart's Blog

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Are you getting tax-efficiencies on the gains you make from the money you invest?

Whatever you’re putting money aside for, there’s likely to be a role for Individual Saving Accounts (or ‘ISAs’). If you’re looking to grow your money over many years – perhaps to fund a dream purchase or help you in retirement – cash might not be the right option, especially when the interest rates on Cash ISAs are near all-time lows. Continue reading →

Dads putting their family’s financial security at risk if the unexpected were to happen

What would happen to you and your family in the event of unforeseen circumstances, such as the diagnosis of a serious illness or premature death? Worryingly, research from Scottish Widows reveals that more than half (53%) of men in the UK with dependent children have no life cover, meaning that 3.9 million dads[1] are potentially putting their family’s financial security at risk if the unexpected were to happen. Continue reading →

Will the new retirement rule of ‘no rules’ offer people a better financial future?

Following pension reforms, there are now more options for using your private pension pot. Since April 2015, some people over 55 have greater freedom in how they can access their pension pots – the money they’ve built up during their working life. Continue reading →

Taking advice early and developing a personal financial plan is crucial to meeting long-term goals

Succession planning may be one of the most challenging experiences facing any leader, especially an entrepreneurial business person who has built a family business from scratch, so it is crucial to get right. For a family business, transition is a once-in-a-lifetime decision. Perhaps no challenge has as much potential to exacerbate the special stresses – or, conversely, highlight the special advantages – of operating a family business. Continue reading →

Consumers lost £130 million by sticking with the same pension provider in 2016

New research finds consumers could be missing out on thousands of pounds in retirement by not shopping around for their pension product. This means their pension pot may not stretch as far as they hope it will, yet a significant proportion of people expect their retirement income to cover much more than just the essentials. Continue reading →

Managing your pension savings effectively and efficiently from a single pot

If you’ve worked for two or three different employers, it’s possible you could have a workplace pension from each of them. You might also have set up a personal pension, so they can add up quickly. Continue reading →

Healthier lifestyles and medical advances mean that many of us can expect to enjoy longer lifespans than previous generations. However, this creates a significant challenge both for society as a whole and for us all as individuals – how to fund a fulfilling life beyond our working years. Continue reading →

Finding a balance between funding and being fair on future generations of taxpayers

Will you be one of the millions of workers that will have to work an extra year before retiring after the Government announced that it would be extending the retirement age to 68? New plans announced in July this year mean that the rise in the State Pension age to 68 will now happen in 2039, affecting people born between 6 April 1970 and 5 April 1978. Continue reading →

With historic ultra-low interest rates on savings, many investors over the past decade have turned to income-paying funds as an alternative to cash-based savings. Changing life plans and priorities mean we now encounter varying income needs and goals throughout our life and, when investing, certain innate behavioural traits will influence our decision-making. For many people seeking to generate income from savings, the years since the financial crisis in 2008 have been a major challenge. Continue reading →